Michigan Earns Another Top 25 Recruit As Clara Smiddy Commits

MIAMI, Florida, September 29. HEAD coach Mike Bottom just scored another top-flight commitment as AK Sharks’ Clara Smiddy is headed from Florida to Ann Arbor after her senior year of home schooling.

Smiddy, the 24th-ranked recruit in the Class of 2014 by CollegeSwimming.com, is a dynamic threat in the backstroke events with some seriously strong speed in both the long course and short course events.

Her top performance is a blistering 1:00.51 in the women’s 100-meter backstroke at the 2013 Speedo Junior National Championships, where she demonstrated the potential to break the magical minute barrier. She also threw down a sizzling 2:10.69 in the 200-meter backstroke in August as well.

In short course yard competition, the top-ranked recruit out of Florida has a 54.31 100-yard back time to her credit from the 2013 FG Senior Championships in March, as well as a 1:56.71 in the 200-yard backstroke at that meet as well. She also has a 50.68 100-yard freestyle in her back pocket, although that’s from four years ago during the techsuit-fueled 2009 season.

She also has plenty of depth in terms of finding a third NCAA event, as she owns a 2:01.30 in the 200-yard IM as well as a 1:50.54 in the 200-yard freestyle, so she has plenty of relay ability for the Lady Wolverines as well.

Smiddy spoke with SwimmingWorld.TV following an eight-second drop in her 200-meter backstroke:

The huge time drops follow knee surgery from a gymnastics injury.

Smiddy joins No. 4 Gillian Ryan of NBAC as two studs to verbal to the University of Michigan women’s class of 2014.

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